Washing-machine



E. L. COUCH.

WASHING MACHINE;

APPLICATION mm Fas'. 1. 191.6.

1,332,712. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

I? 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. L. COUCH. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1916.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2| 45 ,ing said description.

50 lating element.

vl`omf rnnSTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT 'L..COUCH, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO COLTSPATENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT.

wsHING-MACHINE.

Patented Mal-.2,19%

Application led February 7,1916. Serial No. 76,879.

To 'all whom, t may concern Be it known that I ELBi-:Rr L. CoUoH, a citizen of the United tates, residing at 564 Yew Britain avenue, Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented` certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what I shall or 19 convenience term a washing machine. I have selected this title primarily for the reason that the machine is of especial utility when used in the connection noted. Some of the featuresmay be used with equal ad- .15 vantage -in other connections.- While as may be inferred, the machine when organized for washing can be used for ,cleansing articles of any suitable nature, especial y,

- means -by which water is positively maintained at approximately "a predetermined temperature. When the machlneis used for washing, the water or other liquid will Ibe hot or virtually so, and `in this event I insure vthat the water be at the desired high temperature suflicient to thoroughly clean. The apparatus involves other features of novelty and advantage, which with the foregoing will be stated at length in the followin description' wherein I will set forth in etail that form of embodiment of the Ainvention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specicatiom this to enable those skilled in theart to practice the invention. As will be apparentil do not limit myselfto this disclosure ;l I may de art there- 'from in several'respects within t e sco the invention defined by the claims fo low- Referring to saiddrawingsa.-

Figure 1 is -a rear elevation of a washing machine involving the invention', a part of the tank being removed to show a heat-regu- Fig. 21s a horizontal section on` the line 2-1-2 of Fig.'l3, looking inxthe direction of the arrow. A. A Fig.'3 is a vertical however,- vthose such as-vtuinblers, cups and equivalent 20 receptacles.

section on the line '3-3 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction'of the arrow.

Fig.- 4 isa vertical section on the line H of Fig. 2.

and conduit.

Fig. 6 -is a similar'view of saidy combined standard and conduit,` the section, however, being taken at right angles from that of Fig. 5 and showing also a part of the carrier. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of said comtuned-'standard and conduit, the section being taken just below the article carrier.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of a regulating valve and certain adjunctive parts.

Fig. 10 is a detail view in sectional elevation of a portion of said duct and standard and carrier,l and illustrates .a modification.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, which 1t will be seen -are on different scales.

tion or vat 5 containing washing solution diluted with water. The washing chamber 2 as shown has lin its front an opening 6 through which the p'arts to be cleaned are introduced andthrough which they may be removed after thef cleansing operation.

In .the easing or housin is mounted a suitable carrier for the artlcles.l This carrier in the resent instance' is movable, jbeing prefera ly rotative. As shown it oomprlses a hub a rim-or b and 8 and spokes 9 radiating from the hub'and connected to the rim internally thereof, the -three parts integral. A's'illustrated the uppersurfaces of' the hub or ring 7 the band or rim 8 and `the spokes or arms 9 arein the-same horilzontall plane.

enerally but not 'necessarily being formed v eral horizontally alined, concentric annularmembers of channeled form in cross section and packin material as 11 packed comparatively close y in the grooves of the respective annular members which are preferably seated in suitably spaced notches or slots 12 (Fig. 6) in the upper sides of the spokes or arms 9. This packing material is ordinarily of some comparatively soft material such as fiber or vulcanized rubber, merely two of several illustrations. In vieu7 of this circumstance it will be clear that the active part of the article carrier is yielding or soft so as to avoid the possibility of breaking fragile or comparatively delicate articles put .upon it. The channeled annular elements 10 constitute suitable cases or jackets for the circular packing members 1l. As will be clear these annular elements 1 0 are of progressively increasing diameter commencing with the innermost one, Land in practice they are spaced at approximately equal intervals and a distance sucient to prevent articles falling through the spaces but not enough to interfere with the proper and free passage of the wash material whatever it may be. These circular packing-or projecting members l1 may be related in any desirable manner. .They maybe of progressively-increasing heightscommenclng with the innermost one so that as a consequence the soft article supporting portion p of the carrierl is inclined upwardly and olitwardly from the innermost packing or projecting member. As afmatter of fact the carrier is of skeleton or openV work construction, being adapted to properly support the articles to be washed but not to prevent the access to and escape o ashing water therefrom. At the same time any sediment or other foreign matter that may have passed from the articlesduring the act of washing lor otherwise can pass through these `spaces or intervals between said annular members.

While it is of advantage owing to cheapness of production to make the operative portion of the carrier of a series of concentric spaced rings, this is-not essential, be-

icause the open work feature can be secured '1n other ways.

The rotary article carrier lmay bel supyported in any desirable manner, the stand- 'ard or column 13 being shown lfor this urpose, said standard or vcolumn in addition to sustaining the supportalso acting as a duct as will hereinafter more particularly appear.

hi h or upper portion of the tank 3. It

'ght be noted in passing that the article carrier rotates in saidhigh or upper portion. Thisstandard or column 13 in the present case is fixed or stationary. As illustrated it has near its lower end a flange 14 This standard or column 13 as shownbest in Fig. 3 extends through the' attached by screws or otherwise to the high portion of the tank. It has in addition to the attaching flange 14 the iange 15 on which the hub 7 is supported and turns.

The article carrier may be rotated in any desirable manner, the electric motor 16 presenting a suitable means of effecting through the aid of convenient parts, the desired action. The armature shaft 17 of the motor is shown having fastened thereto a worm 18 in mesh with the worm gear 19 rotative with the shaft 20 which as illustrated stands at a slight angle to the vertical. This, however, is a detail.` This shaft has attached to it a suitable power transferring element such as the bevel gear 21 adapted to mesh with a gear or circular rack 22 inside the rim or band S of the article carrier. A toothed gear inclosed by the band is desirable but not essential; it has an advantage owing to the positive drive obtained whilecompactness is insured h v inc'lo'sing the driving element whether it be in the form of a toothed gear or otherwise in the band. .This shaft 20 is shown supported at its lower end by a bearing 23 pro.- jecting from vthe bottom part of the tank 3, the upper part of the shaft extending 4ration, the article carrier through the described parts will be rotated.

As the article carrier rotates the articles thereon are subjected to a washing action, for instance by means of water projected from below and above the articles, which when of cup type are placed inverted or upside down on the carrier. By directing streams Qppositely against the articles-when in' such relation they are adequately cleaned interiorly and exteriorly, the streams preferably being directed against the articles upward from below the carrier and downward from above the same, the cleansing water as already observed and the refuse matter .passing through the openings of; the carrier and into the`tank 3. I lhave shown above and below thecarrier two wash water pipes 24 and 25 of practically duplicate' construction, the under side ofthe upper pipe and multiplicity of perforations lto 'direct separate streams of waterfrom opposite directions against -the articles. In addition' to the wash water pipes 24 there are two other wash water pipes as 25 arranged in the same relation to each other asy the washl water pipes 24, the pipes-25 being able distance from' the preliminary "or initial water" pipes or ducts'. /These four"l wash water pipes :as shownare tapped vat their'ini'l 26-y projecting 'fronner endsl into `bosses as spaced a suitthe standard or column 13 at' superposed fifi-i points, that is'to say there arev tw.o'of"these bosses 26 below the article carrier and somewhat adjacent thereto, While there are tWo other similarbosses above and as shown a greater distance from the carrier. The wash Water pipes extend radially1 from said standard or column 13, their outer ends being .capped or closed and being situated in proximity to the body of shell portion 2 of the housing. Tapped or otherwise suitably fitted into the lower end of the standard or upright 13 is a coupling member such as the T 27 for the supply of water tothe passage 28 extending longitudinally of said column, the bosses 26 to which I have 'already referred opening into this passage 28 from which as will be evident, thel severa-l wash Water pipes 24 and 25 are in communication with said passage.- The part 13j, therefore, presents a combined column and duct. To one branch of the T 27 the pipe 29 is connected'the pipe 30v being connected with the other-branch of said T. The Apipe 29 extends from the pump 31 driven in the presentcase by the shaft 17. Vhile the pipe 29 extends from the discharge side of said pump 31, the inlet side thereof r(Fig. 2) is connected 4with the vat 5 near the bottom thereof as also lshownin Fig. 4. It will be clear, therefore, that when the pump 31 is in action, it'will 4draw Water from theV vat 5 4and by Way of .the discharge pipe 29 convey the same into the T 27, the Water passing from these into the passage 28 and out the several wash Waterpipes 24-and 25.

I have mentioned the fact that the articles Iare primarily subjected to the action of 4Washing Water. Thiswashing water is directed against the articles in Vrather large volume, issuing from the two sets of pipes 24 and 25. Inaddition to this -initial treatmentof the articles, they are given a final spray.. The preliminary water and' the spray Water, as I have considered it, is hot,

V but as a'matter'of preference. to secure the most desirable results, the final spray is hotter thanv the preliminary washlng Water.

. VThis will receive further discussion hereinafter.' To effect the heating of the water- I provide a suitable heater, the heater 32 (Fig. 1)` being shown' for t 1s purpose. This'gas heateris of familiar type and recharge pipe from the heater 32 is desig-' thermometer-carryingbranch of the T 34' is connected the' coupling 36 (Figs. 3 and 9). From `this-coupling the 4pipe 30 already described leads. vAlso connectedv with the coupling is a pipe .37, the purpose of the pipe` 37 being, as will be hereinafter described, to conduct sprinkling water' to sprinkler members. Also connectedfwith the nipple36 is a pipe 38. In the pipe 30 l is a valve 39.

Under normal conditions' the heater 32 supplies hot water to the final spray pipesA 47 by way of the pipe 37, and afterl the water has served its function of rinsing the articles on the article carrier, it -flows back into the vat 5 by way of the tank 3, The heater 32 can also supply hot Water in case the motordoes not operate' from Iany cause, the hot water entering the'pipes 30 and 37 and thus y passing into .the column 13, and from the passage 28 thereof into the sprinkler pipes 24 and 25 respectively, thereby making at all times the useI of the. apparatus serviceable.,

and is connected asv bythe pipe 43 with the inlet of the heater 32. The coil 42 as shown is below the normal level of the water in' the vat 5 which is 4indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4. The passage of the final spray Water along the pipe 37 is regulated,-

and an important advantage follows this regulation. The office in question can be ob-A tained in any desirable way, the needle valve as shown best in Fig. 9 being shown f orthis purpose, the valve being tapped through thev coupling 36 already Adescribed and its cone-pointed end being' coperative with a seat at the outer end of the short pipe` conl nection 45` uniting said coupling 36 and T Ordinarily the temperature of lthe heater is constant, and this condition can be .easily secured. The pipe 37 is tapped .into the lower end of the column or duct 13 andl is in communication with the longitudinal passage 46 of said column-duct. Tapped into said part 13 and extending radially therefrom are spray pipes 47 closed at their outer ends as are the Wash Water pipes 24.

The pipes47 are in horizontal line with the requires no detailed description; -The dIS- spective upper'l and-lower wash Water pipes,

and like the latter are provided with a multiplicity of perforations or small holes for jetting hot Water against the articles. While the Wash Water is Warm, it is not in the present case directly received from the heater 32.

The sprinkling or vrinsing Water, however, which emerges from the pipes 47 is received practically ldirectly from the heater and is,

therefore,at a considerably higher temperature than the washing water.

There is naturally some steam with the sprinklingwater,l and I provide means for preventing the escapeof this steam from the ca smg or housing 2, thecollector 48 being wwwa.

provided for'this purpose. This collector 48 is of practically fan or segmental shape (Figs. 2 and 4) of hollow construction its small end being itted into the upper end of the column 13 (Fig. 4) and being in communication With the passage 49 (Fig. 8) extending longitudinally of said column, the pipe 50being connected with- 'the port 51 (Fi/g.' 3) -at the lower end of said passage 49 and being also connected with an exhaust` r suction device as 52 (Fig. 3) which disposes of the steam received from the collector 48 in any desirable Way. This fan shaped 'collector 48 extends from the opening 6, being closed atits frontend and having an inlet 53 (Fig. 4) in the under side near the rear l end thereof. It'will be assumed that the apparatus is entirely free of Water and that it is desired to use the same for washing articles. In this event Water at a low temperature or virtually cold is supplied to the coil 42 in the manner already described andv is conducted by way of the pipe 43 to the heater 32 Where it is heatedl up to the requisite temperature. The Water is then delivered intothe vat in the manner also'set forth, until it is at about the desired levely which I have indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4.as already noted.` On the action of the motor 16 the pump 31 will be operated to.l effect th'e elevation of the Water 4 c and its supply to the wash watenpipes 24 and'25 and at the same time spr' ling or rinsing Water'issues from the sprinkler heads 47. It will be clear that the pump 31 is constantly in action so as to maintain the wash' y c The sprinklingv water is not actually' circulated in the sense ing waterv in circulation.

that the washingrwater is. After the Water is at the requisite temperature which is obtained through the setting of the'valve 44, thema'chine is in readiness for washing articles whichv are passed through the opening- 6 and placed upside down on the lsoft rings 11.

' rier isindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

The direction of rotation of the article car- As the saidrcarrier rotates, the articles are first washed by water issuing from the pipes 24.

vThey are then further Washed by water issuing from the pipes 25 'and are finally sprinkled or rinsed bythe hotter Water passing the Waste vpipe 55 which 1s shown rovided from the pipes 47 one circuit of an article being generally al1 that is required to thoroughly Washl it. 'l

The overflow (or Waste pipe 54 may lead from the tank 5 and may be connected to with a valve 56 between said over ow pipe ".and the By'opening this valve 56 the vat 5 may be discharged of'its contents by Way of the pipe 55 which may for example be connected W1th a sewer.

As will be understood'from what I have hereinbefore stated, I do not restrict myselfl to the particular construction shown and described in detail, which is merely one of the .many forms of the apparatus, the definiteshowing being made to lconform to, the

statute and enable those skilled in the art .parts of the operative portion of the carrier will, of course, be on a with that of thespokes.

What Iclaim is: 1. A machine of the class described compitch corresponding prising a column, a rotary v'article vcarrier supported by the column, 'the column having a passage, means'for` su plying liquid tothe passage, means for disc stijging-the Washing liquid from the passage and' onto the articles on said carrier, and a steamv collector .connected with the-column, the column" havingal passage t-o-receive the steam from the collector.

2. A machinel of tiji'class described comprising `a column, a rotary article .cariier supported by the column, the column having two separate passages, means for supplying washing liquid to one lo fthe passa es, means for discharging the-washingiiqui from its passage and ontol the articles on'the carrier, and a fan-shaped "collector in communication at its reduced end Withthe other passage, the front end 'of the collector being 3. An article carrier comprising a hub, a rim, spokes connecting the' hub and the rim,

closed and the bottom having a steam inlet.

the spokes `being. notcheddn their upper A( edges,` channeled pieces of annular form set 4inthe notches of the respective spokes, and -packing material in the' ychanneled pieces constituting the supporting surface of the carrier. i v In testimony whereof' I hai'ev aixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELBERT L. coUcH.

Witnesses:l f Y v LAWRENCE A.HoWARD,. BEssm Rotring?,M l 

